


Pieces of time

by maiqueti



Series: Give it Another Shot [2]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, One Shot Collection, post - polarized
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-07
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-05-12 10:46:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5663422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maiqueti/pseuds/maiqueti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Almost eight years passed between that insane week in october and the ending of "Give it another shot". Want to know what happened in the mean time? If the answer is yes, you may wanna read this.</p><p>I suggest you to read the first story before reading this, though is not essential.<br/>Here is the link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/5273684</p><p>This is just a collection of chapters, some of them related, some of them not. Just fluff and happy endings.</p><p>NOTE: "Pieces of time" will NOT be updated periodically. I'll update it as soon as it's done.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The move out

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!  
> As I promised, I've been working on some of the events that happened between chapter 9 and chapter 10 of my story, "Give it another shot." So, if you're here and you didn't read it, I suggest you to do it before reading this, though is not essential.  
> Here is the link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/5273684
> 
> "Pieces of time" will NOT be updated periodically. I'll update it as soon as it's done. The thing is, that could take a day or a week, mostly because I'm writing another story (Safe and sound: http://archiveofourown.org/works/5620153) and it's taking all my energy and time to do it, so... you know.
> 
> This chapter is set right after what happened in Chapter nine.
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Chloe stepped out of the truck with a bright smile and her eyes glowing with excitement. As fast as she could, she run around the front of the vehicle and opened the passenger door with an exaggerated movement.

Max rolled her eyes but couldn’t help to smile.

“I can open the door, you know?” She said, stepping out of the truck with a little frown of pain.

“I know. But I also know that shot hella hurts, isn’t it?” Said Chloe, raising an eyebrow, pointing to Max’s chest. The bandages were still visible right over the neck of the shirt.. “So, as long as it hurt, I’ll be a gentlemen and open the door for ya.”

“Gentlemen?” Max snorted. “You’ll also carry me up and down the stairs like in you house?” she teased, poking Chloe’s ribs with her elbow.

“Hey, you didn’t complain about it!”

“I spent all the time yelling at you to put me down, Chloe.” She protested, half joke half truth, but the taller girl just ignored that little fact. Max rolled her eyes again in exasperation and leaded the way to her dorm.

The rain had stopped and Blackwell’s campus was as empty as wet. It wasn’t night yet, but the sky was dark and the exterior lamps were already lighted.

Chloe didn’t miss Blackwell. At least not the campus itself. She had good memories though, most of them involving Rachel, one way or the other. The missing posters she had put up the past weeks were still around, washed by the rain or lying on the floor, now just a unreadable white mass.

 _“Try not to think all your effort was in vain, damn it.”_ She say to herself mentally, following Max through the main campus.

They walked right in the Prescott Dormitory, not before Max had forbidden Chloe to smash the sign with the ominous last name on it.

The very moment they entered the hallway, a group of girls shouted her name and ran to her. Chloe recoiled when the swarm of girls surrounded Max. She recognized a few faces, but she didn’t recall their names. When she was a student, she didn’t had many friends aside from Rachel, Trevor and Justin, much less girls. She knew some of the most famous faces around Blackwell, like Victoria Chase, but the girl wasn’t among the group that approached Max with thousands of questions. She could see the smaller girl trying to calm down the crowd with her usual shy expression.

“I can’t believe what you did!”

“You’re a hero, Max!”

“Who’s she? Isn’t she Rachel’s friend, Price?”

“She’s the one you saved, right?

“We didn’t know you were out of the hospital! How are you feeling?”

“Does it hurt?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine” Max said, raising her hands in an attempt to stop the waterfall of questions. “I was discharged from the hospital earlier today, I’m just here to grab my things. And yeah, her name is Chloe.” She added, pointing at the blue haired girl with her head.

She took the keys from her room and threw them to Chloe, who grabbed them in the air with grace.

“Go ahead, I’ll catch up.” Said Max and Chloe nodded in agreement, thankful for the escape route.

Chloe slipped away before someone could stop her and searched for Max’s room. By the number of the key, it was the very last door in the hallway. She put the key in the lock and opened the door.

She was curious about Max’s room. She had imagined it during the short trip to the campus, figuring it’d be like an extension of Max herself, soft, hipster and mushy. She wasn’t mistaken, of course.

She closed the door behind her, turned the light on and looked around the room. The bed was tidy and seemed really cozy. Over the pillow, there was Captain, the furry bear Max had since they were kids. Chloe remembered Max took him to every single sleepover until she turned eleven.

 _“I remember the first time she brought it to my house. She introduced him as her “furry first mate” and told me she named him Captain because he was a pirate.”_ Chloe chuckled. _“When I asked what happened to his missing right eye she blushed so hard… It took me months to convince her to told me, I even promised not to laugh. Of course I did when she told me she had swallowed poor bear’s eye and ended up in the hospital”_

The couch was full of books and papers and a backpack was placed at it’s feet, wide open and full of more books.

_“She was always the responsible one, making homework in time… I was always rushing to finish it just before class. She always let me borrow her’s when I was out of time… Not before she gave me the Max Caulfield patented eye-roll.”_

The guitar resting in the arm of the couch catched Chloe’s attention. She didn’t know Max could play. She’d have learned in Seattle, no doubt.

 _“I always wanted to learn… I’m a pretty good singer too, but… I’ve never tried to do anything with it.”_ Chloe thought with a sad sigh. _“I guess I had my mind elsewhere, worrying about stupid stuff like Frank and getting high to forget how much everything sucked. It still does but… Max make things better. A lot better.”_

The desk was well-organized, just in front of the windows and next to a plant, withered and dry. She chuckled when she read the name “Lisa” written on the plant’s pot.

But the thing that Chloe liked the most about the room was the wall over the bed, full of photographs, lighted by the circular lamps. She sat on the bed to get a better look of the images displayed in front of her. A warm feeling took over her chest when she recognized some of the shots. Photos taken long ago when life was simpler, painless.

The two of them playing on the swing William made for them. Max’s face of panic was hilarious. Another shot of them, dressed like pirates. Chloe could recognize that bright on Max’s eyes, but it seemed kind of different.

 _“At least I was in some of them.”_ Chloe thought. “It feels like… _she never really forget about me when she was in seattle. It’s… still hard to believe we’re here now.”_

There were a lot of other photos without Chloe’s presence of course. A shot of Max wearing an oversized football t-shirt, another of Max with a boy and a girl, climbing over a statue, with wide open smiles on their faces. One picture of Max with the guitar in her hands, a curious expression on her face as her fingers glided across the strings. Another shot with the Caulfields, Ryan with his characteristic smile and a heavy beard, Vanessa with her dark long hair over her left shoulder, her severe expression smoothed by a smile and of course Max, between them, smiling while grabbing her father’s hand over her own shoulder.

Chloe touched almost unconsciously the back pocket of her jeans. She pulled off the photograph that was the source of her strength the last couple of weeks and looked at it for a million time. The edges of the polaroid were a little worn out.

“ _I wish I could remember this moment._ ” She thought. “ _It’s a shame only Max can have this memories… I can’t even recognize myself with that smile.”_

The sound of the opening made her jump a little, killing her line of thought. Max entered the room and closed the door behind her. She leaned on it and left escape a single tired sigh of exasperation.

“I didn’t know you were so popular, Mad Max.” Said Chloe, smiling at her. “That’s a little detail you forgot to mention.”

“Hell no.” She replied with a tired smile. “It’s more like I’m the freak a circus has as main attraction. They are all over me because I was shot, nothing more. Eventually it’ll go away.”

Chloe shrugged, hiding the polaroid again in her back pocket. The motion caught Max’s attention.

“What?” Chloe asked.

“You still carry that photo?” Max pointed at the pocket with a little smile.

“Well… kind of.” Chloe shrugged again. “I’m not exactly the mushiest person but I... have my moments. Do you mind if I… keep it?”

“In fact, I want you to have it. I just… wish you could remember that day.” Said Max with a sad tone, walking over her and stole a fast kiss from her lips.

Chloe didn’t recoiled but the gesture caught her off guard. She could feel the wild blush spreading over her face. Max dedicated her a warm wide smile.

“Okay, so… “ Chloe coughed a little, looking away in an attempt to hide her bright red face. “Let’s grab what you need and get the hell out. I’m sure you don’t want your new admirers to catch you again in the hallway on our way out.”

 

In half an hour, Chloe helped Max to fill two backpacks with her essential stuff. Clothes, her toothbrush, shower supplies among other things like a book and, of course, Captain wasn’t gonna stay alone in that room while her mommy was away, so Max grabbed him too. Max’s journal, camera and stuff were already in Chloe’s room, so there wasn’t anything else she’d need from her room for at least a couple of days.

Chloe convinced her to grab the guitar as well. She was curious about Max’s skills and when she said it, the younger girl offered to teach her how to play if she was interested. They had a lot of time ahead of them to do so.

Chloe took the luggage, denying Max’s help to carry some of it.

“You’re hurt, remember?” Chloe said with a serious face. “You’re not carrying weight on my watch.”

Max protested of course, but a single glare of Chloe was enough to persuade her to stop it.

She placed the backpack and the guitar in the back of her truck and jumped in, followed by Max. “So… who were the army that attacked you at the dorm?” Asked Chloe, as she drove away from the parking lot. “I met some of them when I attended at Blackwell but I don’t recall their names.”

Max let slip a sigh. She was looking through the window with a thoughtful expression.

“Dana, Juliet, Alyssa, Stella and Brooke” She said. “I was… kinda friends with most of them before I came back with the photo. Now, they only notice me because of what happened… well, not all of them but we aren’t exactly more than classmates now.”

“Well, you sure caught some attention” Said Chloe. “You still have Kate, though. I expected to see her pestering you too.”

“She send me a text earlier. She’s going to spend the rest of the semester at home with her family. I don’t blame her after what happened with that stupid video and Jef…” Max interrupted herself and looked away suddenly.

“Hey…” Chloe noticed how pale she became in matter of seconds. “You okay?”

“Yeah… just… try not to think much about it.” Max shrugged, looking through the window again in silence.

_“Everytime she mentions that bastard… it’s like something changes in her eyes. It’s like when she talked about the journal, she seems… elsewhere, like she is still there in other reality.”_

Trying not to get drowned in dark thoughts, Chloe parked carelessly the truck in front of the Price’s home and killed the engine. As she did at Blackwell, she stepped of it and rushed to open Max’s door. She carried the bags and guided Max to her room, opening the door with a theatrical gesture.

“Welcome to my domain” Said Chloe, leaving the bags near the couch. “Officially. Kind of. You almost throw down my door this morning, so it doesn’t count.”

Max just stared at her with that expression Chloe knew so well by now, like she was in some kind of Dejavú of some sort.

“Memories that never happened?” Asked the taller girl, knowing.

“Memories that never happened.” Confirmed Max, but this time, she smiled.


	2. Nightmares

_She opened her eyes. She didn’t know where she was, she just felt dizzy, nauseous and confused. Wherever she was, it was dark. The only source of light was a distant lamp at the other side, lighting only diffuse silhouettes around her._

_She tried to stretch, but she couldn't. She felt how her heart raced under her ribs when a thick and distorted memory broke into her mind, the very moment she felt the restrains on her wrists and ankles._

_The room lit up when someone turned on the white and cold lights of the Dark Room… and Max recoiled in panic when she recognized the place… and the silhouette lying in front of her, at an arm’s reach._

_“No… Chloe…”_

_The blue haired girl was lying on the white floor in the set, her eyes wide open and unseeing. A single hole was on her forehead, blood pouring out of it, staining the floor with a terrifying red._

_“No! No, you’re alive!” Said Max, as the tears started to fall._

_Looking at her meant to feel a physical pain in her chest, like someone stabbed her heart repeatedly and left her there to bleed out from her wounds._

_“I saved you. I came back and saved you…”_

_“Are you sure of it?” Said a soft male voice._

_Max felt an awful chill running down her spine and the sweat pouring from every pore, cold like ice. She felt two  strong hands grabbing her arms from behind and pushing her closer to Chloe’s dead body._

_“Does it look like you saved her? uh?”_

_“Let me go!”_

_“I know you have powers, Max. I didn’t lie when I said you had a gift. But you wasted it. You used it for your… own selfish desires. You almost killed an entire town for this teenage crush of yours. Luckily, I did you a favour killing this… burden.”_

_“Eat shit and die!”_

_“Oh, I like that bravado” Jefferson mocked her, releasing her brusquely. He walked around her, like a beast stalking it’s pray, his gray cold eyes never leaving Max’s, who refused to look away. If looks could kill…_

_“You’re scared as hell but you try to bite anyway… You’re not so innocent anymore. I’m proud to be the one… responsible for that change. And I had it framed my way.”_

_Jefferson showed her his camera and the photos he took of her, lying on the ground, spaced out, vulnerable and totally out of it. As the pictures passed, her expression became more aware, more awake and… cold, angry and even insane._

_“Now that my job is done… Maybe I can let you go now.”_

_The man walked away, left the camera over the little coffee table near the couch and took the baseball bat resting against the wall. He played with it for a while, enjoying how Max’s daring expression turned in horror as she guessed his intentions._

_“No…”_

_“Don’t worry” He said with a soft voice, almost a whisper, leaving the bat over the couch. She took a syringe instead and approached Max slowly. “I’m not going to smash that beautiful face, it’d be a waste… I promise this will not hurt. You’ll be with your precious little punk soon…”_

_The man leaned over her and she felt a sharp sting on her neck._

_“No… No!”_

 

 

“Max, what the fuck?!”

Max snapped her eyes open, looking frenetically around. She was in Chloe’s room, lit only by the lamps over the window frame. Chloe’s face, worried to death, was the first thing she saw. The tears stocked up behind her eyelids finally escaped and rolled down her cheeks. The brunette grabbed Chloe’s face with both hands and let her fingers run over it, tracing her features like she was trying to be sure it was not an illusion or a dream.

“Max?”

“I’m sorry.” She said and sat on the bed, elbows on her knees as she leaned her head down, covering her face with both hands. “I’m sorry. I’m okay, just…”

“Hey…”

Chloe rounded her with her arms, resting her cheek on her back, holding her close.

“It’s the third night in a row, Max.” She said. “I’m hella worried, seriously. Maybe we should… I don’t know, talk about this…”

“I can’t.” Said Max abruptly. “I can’t do it. He’s… He will be always inside my head and… I’m not even sure what he did to me. I’m… I’m fucking terrified.” She concluded, her voice shaky.

“Max, it didn’t happen.” Said Chloe, hugging her tighter. Max didn’t have to explain who was “he” to her to understand.  “You remember, yeah but… You came back, he never kidnapped you. He never… did anything to you.”

“It doesn’t matter. The memories of the other timelines I lived are still there. Maybe not me but other Maxs went through that living hell I left behind. Died even.. I didn’t forget as I thought I would. I don’t get it! They were supposed to fade away and I’m still reliving some moments. I even… shit.”

Max got up from the bed, getting away from Chloe as smoothly as she could. The blue haired girl sighed in sadness, her empty hands itching. She just watched helplessly as Max left the room, closing the door behind her, muttering a low

“Be right back”.

 

 _“We’ve been here just a couple of days and she’s always having nightmares. She’s… avoiding the issue and… kinda pushing me away...”_ Thought Chloe, looking at the ceiling, waiting for Max’s return. She could hear the water running in the bathroom on the other side of the hall

It was… weird. Max got out of the hospital, kissed her, told her she loved her and then… that was it. She never talked about it again or… nothing really. They just hung out around town or in the house, when Chloe wasn’t working her shift at the Two Whales of course, and it felt like… just nothing. Just friends spending time together.

Not to mention Chloe noticed Max wasn’t taking any pictures. She was supposed to, right? She always had that old polaroid camera with her and all the photos in the Journal proved she was always taking shots. But now, the camera never left Max’s bag.

_“And I can’t get a word out of her, damn it. I feel i don’t know shit. I get this is so fucking twisted and all of that but… how am I supposed to help her? I’m not exactly the best example of mental health either.”_

She sighed in frustration, trying to control the anger towards herself. She couldn’t be angry all the fucking time, could she?

 _“This isn’t about you, Captain Selfish”_ She teased herself. _“Come on, think!”_

The water stopped and Max entered the room again a little later. There was that look again, distant, like Max wasn't entirely in the here and now.

“C’mere” Said Chloe, patting the bed next to her.

Max obeyed, reluctantly, and sat down next to her, unfocused eyes directed at the sheets. Chloe rounded her shoulders with an arm and sighed, looking for the right words.

“Max?” The brunette lifted her head and looked at Chloe.

_“Damn, that look…”_

“Listen, I know you can’t talk about it now. Okay? I know you told me a lot of things and I get you have nightmares because that week you lived was so… fucking insane. But I don’t think it’s getting better.”

“You’re right. It’s not.”

“Just… Talk to me, Max.” Insisted Chloe, trying in vain to catch Max’s gaze. “You have that… that look in your face sometimes and it freaks me out, dude. It’s all recent, I know, you just left the hospital a couple of days ago, you argued with your parents and all but… I thought being here would help you get better.”

It seemed like Max was about to say something when that expression took over her face again and she just shut up. If she wanted to say something, the words never reached her lips, for whatever reason.

“Max, you know you can talk to me when you’re ready, right?” Chloe insisted. “I’m here for you, just don’t… don’t push me away.”

Those words seemed to have an effect, because Max looked Chloe in the eyes with a bright realization

“I know.” She said. “I’m sorry. It’ll… not happen again.”

Max cupped Chloe’s cheek with one hand and looked at her for a long moment, as that distant look melted away in a bright lovely gaze. Chloe felt the blush coming up to her cheeks and looked away.

“Damn.” She muttered. “I’m still not… used to this.”

“And… what is this anyway?” Asked Max, smiling.

_“... Ah! Low blow, Max!”_

“Ehm… something I should tell my mom?” Said Chloe with a grin.

_“I’m… not joking. I think.”_

Max punched her arm softly, chuckling.

“You’re a dork. And of course you have to tell her. I told my parents and went through world war three for it, the least you could do is tell Joyce.”

“And what should I tell her? What am I?, Besides your best friend in the world, your loyal sidekick and your partner in crime of course…” Teased Chloe, leaning over until their noses almost touched. It was Max’s turn to blush furiously.

_“Damn she’s so fucking cute I can’t even...”_

“Mmmh… “ Max looked away biting her lip as she always did when she was nervous. “You should tell her you’re… My Chloe.”

That statement crushed whatever flirtatious response Chloe had planned. She just rested her forehead against Max’s and sighed, her cheeks on fire and the butterflies in her stomach wilder than ever.

“You’re a dork, you know that, right?” Chloe said with a wide smile.

Max chuckled.

“Yeah, but I’m your dork.”

They spent another couple of minutes in silence, just looking at each other… until Max pulled away to profess the biggest yawn Chloe had ever seen in her life. She snorted.

“C’mon hippie. Go back to sleep.” Chloe said, grabbing the sheets and pulling them over the younger girl.

The moment she laid down again, Max rolled over and rested her head in the crook of her neck with a sigh. She fell asleep so fast than Chloe couldn’t even think something clever or mushy to say. She just focused on Maxs steady breathing against her skin.

“‘Night... My Max.”


	3. Sidekick to the rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter has spoilers of "Give it Another Shot". If you didn't read that part of the story, you can do it here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/5273684
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Chloe sighed, she was tired. She finally took off her apron and grabbed her tips. While she left the diner she dried the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand. Outside the building, she was greeted by a cold November-breeze as she pulled out a cigarette.

She had been working a double shift at the diner just to get her mind cleared of weird thoughts and all sort of stuff that had been damned inside her head . Max finally went back to her classes at Blackwell after almost one month hiatus, considering she was discharged from the hospital after fifteen days of care. This gave Chloe a lot of free time, even while working her usual four-hours shifts at the diner, since Max was at school almost the whole day. So she figured she could use that down time to make a little extra money. Not that she wouldn’t like to walk around or meet with Justin and the other skaters from Blackwell, who surely were skipping class, but she wanted to fix her truck and take Max to a proper road trip soon.

She took the phone from her pocket.

_4:05pm._  

Max should be going to her home right now. Maybe she could catch her before she took the bus. Chloe took another drag from her cigarette, before tossing it to the floor and extinguishing it with the heel of her boot. Enthusiastic she got into the cab of her truck and started the engine. The ignition came to life with a loud roar and she drove off towards Blackwell with her window down and singing along the punky rock-song on the radio.

She was halfway to the school when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out while waiting for one of the few traffic lights in Arcadia to turn green.

 

_**From:** Mad Max_

_Hey Chlo. Running late. Science is kicking my ass. Warren is helping me and Kate to figure some stuff and I need to catch up with the rest._

 

Warren, of all people... Chloe snorted. She didn’t hate the guy but had to admit he made her blood boil in jealousy after she overheard him asking Max out in the hospital. Max had woken up the day before after being in a coma for two weeks after receiving a gunshot in the chest, and he was all over her since minute one.

_Damn._ It was her first week back at school and the guy, most certainly like the rest of her class, was bombarding her with questions about that incident. Asking her about everything that happened, maybe even about _“the blue haired punk in whose house you’re living now.”_

 

_**To:** Mad Max_

_Warren? srly? He’s better off not making a lame move on u again._

_**From:** Mad Max_

_U know u dont have a single motive to be jealous, right? Bsids, Kates with us too._

_**To:** Mad Max_

_That didn’t stop him the last time… just sayin. Gonna kick his ass... Call me when ur done so I can pick u up. Pizza and movies later because it's “Friday bitches”._

_**From:** Mad Max_

_It’s a date ;) SYL. I luv u. <3_

_**To:** Maximus_

_U better. NO EMOJI._

 

Chloe growled in frustration.

_“Get your shit together, you can’t be jealous of that geek…”_ She thought, drumming over the steering wheel with her fingers. _“Okay, maybe I am, but not because of Max. She’ll never… it’s just because that nerd is so damn persistent…”._

Chloe turned the car around to head home. She didn’t want to interfere now that Max would be busy for the next couple of hours. 

The _Price-house_ was silent and lonely. Joyce wasn’t home and David certainly went to Blackwell already to start his shift. Chloe grabbed a beer from the fridge, went up to her room and closed the door behind her. She pressed play on her hi-fi and one of Max’s CD’s started playing, filling the room with soft indie music. It wasn’t Chloe’s type but she learned to appreciate the soft tunes while Max was around. She even caught the brunette singing along to some of the songs, just before shutting her mouth and drowning in embarrassment due to Chloe’s amused smile.

She smiled, thinking back to that memory and expected to doze off for a while, letting herself fall backwards into bed.

Of course, she didn’t expect to be lying there, looking at her phone every five minutes to make sure Max hadn’t texted her to pick her up. Or kick a nedry ass, why not?

_“I’m sure she’ll be hella bored with that guy and all that science mumbo jumbo”_ She thought, taking a sip from her beer. _“I’m pretty good at science too, or at least I was. Maybe I could help her out.”_

An almost forgotten memory came to her mind. Both of them, sitting at the table downstairs. Twelve year old Chloe teasing eleven year old Max, who was trying to make sense of her textbook for an exam. Chloe was trying to help her understand basic physics, but annoying Max until that thin wrinkle appeared on her forehead was just so tempting…

_“Damn, since when I’m so dependent?”_ Chloe growled internally, frowning at the poster glued to the wall in front of her. _“I just can’t monopolize the girl, can I? She has her friends but with all the shit that happened… well... it makes sense I want to be around her after Prickscott shot her instead of me."_  

Minutes became hours and Chloe spent every single second trying to get Max out of her head. She listened to music, drank another beer, chilled on her bed and even went to the backyard to sit on the swing, trying to take her mind away from all the stuff in her head.

Her hands felt itchy as she looked at her silent phone again.

“What the fuck is taking them so long?” She murmured, frowning at her background picture of Max.

As it was answering her, a notification popped up. A text from Max, fucking finally.

 

_**From:** Mad Max_

_Hey Chlo, sorry It took me so long. We’re done here, u coming?_

_**To:** Mad Max_

_About time, damn it. See ya in ten. Front gates._

 

The sun was going down when Chloe parked her truck carelessly in Blackwell's parking lot. She killed the engine, got out and walked towards the main building at a quick pace. The campus was mostly empty, the students were already in their dorms or out in town, enjoying the Friday evening. The cold, coastal air, didn’t encourage people to be outside anyway.

Chloe finally spotted them, leaving the building through the main entrance and stopped dead when she realized that Kate wasn’t with them.

_“Calm the fuck down, idiot. Maybe she left early, that’s all. And left Max alone with this dude… again…”_

Chloe entered the Blackwell ninja mode and approached them, trying to overhear their conversation. They finally stopped by the stairs, and she stayed hidden behind one of the big images displayed around. She tried not to think about that those images were taken by the psycho that kidnapped and killed Rachel for his insane photo sessions. Not mentioning that he hurt Kate and Max. Especially Max.

_“Fucking-pervert-piece-of-shit.”_

“So… you’re feeling better?” Warren asked. Chloe could see how he rubbed her neck, uncomfortably.

“Much better now, yeah. It still hurts though, but is just like a big bruise” Max replied. She made a step back to keep her distance from the boy, unconsciously grabbing her arm like she always does when she was nervous . “Thanks again for the help. I’ve never been good at science and being out of the loop just complicated things.”

“No problem. And yeah, sorry to be so honest, but you indeed suck.” Both of them chuckled briefly. Chloe sorted, trying not to laugh about the awkward situation. “But just keep practicing the problems I gave you and you’ll be fine. Besides, it’s obvious Miss Grant likes you.”

“I guess…”

An uncomfortable silence fell. Chloe tried to sneak-peek at them from her hideout. Both of them seemed kind of embarrassed and were looking anywhere but each other. She could see Max looking at her phone and texting, just before she put it back in her pocket. Chloe felt her own phone vibrating against her hip.

“So… you said we could… talk about what happened at the hospital…”

_“Holy shit, I knew it!”_

“Yeah, I did.” Max sighed. “Listen… I really like you as a friend. You’re like the geek brother I never had and I don’t want that to change. Besides, I’m…”

“Max, I know I seem childish sometimes and yeah, maybe I am.” Warren interrupted her, anxiously. Chloe clenched her fists so hard that her nails were digging in her skin. “But seriously, I’m just asking for one chance. You’ll not regret it, I promise.”

“Warren, my answer didn’t change.” Max said. She sounded so annoyed it was almost a delight for Chloe. “I’m…”

“... **taken**!” Chloe said, stepping out from her hideout. “I believe the word you’re looking for is -taken-.”

Chloe had to struggle to keep her face serious and her brows frowned, even if she’d have snapped in laughter when she saw their expressions. Max was blushing a little, half relieved and half amused. Warren just looked at her with her eyebrows so high that they were almost hidden by his brown hair.

“What…?”

Chloe approached them with her characteristic walk, while a wild grin appeared on her face, incapable of holding it back any longer. Her eyes though, were dark and menacing almost daring Warren to say otherwise. She walked pass him, like he wasn’t even there and grabbed Max by her hips, never breaking eye contact. Her grin spread wider when Max blushed even more.

“Hey, babe. What took you so long?” Chloe asked casually. She could feel Warren’s gaze fixed on the back of her neck and tried not to burst out in laughter.

“Hey… sorry about that. Science sucks.” Replied Max. She didn’t back off, or did anything to put distance between them.

Chloe leaned and stole a quick, but deep and intense kiss from her lips before turning around to face Warren, with one arm at Max’s lower back.

“So… yeah, she’s hella taken Waldo. Sorry about that.”

“Oh…” Warren stammered and looked away. Chloe never had seen someone so embarrassed in her life. She was having a blast.

“I tried to tell you.” Said Max, pursing her lips and shrugging a little. “Back at the hospital.”

“Well… Sorry I didn’t imagine you… eh… you know. It’s a little unexpected, that’s all.”

“No worries, dude. Who would have thought?” Chloe teased him with a grin. “I’m still not sure I believe it myself.”

Warren laughed nervously.

“Well… I should get going… see you around.” Warren waved at the girls and took off, not before staring at them over his shoulder a couple of times until he reached the parking lot and was out of sight.

That was when Chloe finally lost it and snapped in laughter, grabbing her ribs with a hand and wiping away the tears from her eyes.

“Oh, man, that was sooo fucking awesome!”

“You’re a dork.” Said Max, rolling her eyes. “I was about to tell him, you didn’t need to scare him away like that, he’s a good guy.”

“I bet he wouldn’t believe you if you said you’re dating someone already.” Chloe said with a grin. “Maybe you didn’t notice, but everyone here pictures you as a shy little geek. I doubt they’d believe you when you’re saying you were having a relationship with a blazing, tattooed, no-good punk with blue hair. Not even mentioning the punk is a woman” she said, adding a wink to her grin.

“Little?” Max asked, making an adorable pout.

_“That's the only thing in my statement that bothers you? Why are you so damn cute? No wonder Waldo tried so hard… And it’s kind of unfair, I didn’t even have to make a move. Time-travel wonders… I almost feel sorry about him. Almost.”_

“Yeah, you’re my little hippie-nerd, aren’t ya?” Chloe said, laughing and hugged Max tightly. “And now Waldo knows, so he’ll stop trying to steal you from me. Or I’ll hella kick his ass.”

“Not… so… tight… Chlo…” Grasped Max and the taller girl released her immediately.

“Sorry. Forgot about the… um… shot.” Chloe apologized. “You okay?”

“Yeah, don’t worry. So… Pizza and movies?” Max asked, with a wide smile that made Chloe’s heart skip a beat.

“Fuck yeah!”

 

The girls got in the truck and Chloe drove home. They took their time, just to be able to sing along the rock-songs on the radio. Chloe could see in the corner of her eye that Max’s gaze was fixed on her, and stayed there all the way to the _Price-house_.

When they finally arrived, Chloe remembered the text Max sent her when she was with Warren and picked up her phone. She snorted and couldn’t help to chuckle a little.

 

_**From:** Mad Max_

_Chlo, Super Max needs her true sidekick before evil Dr. Warren makes a move. Stop stalking us behind the frame like a ninja and rescue me already!_

 

“You knew I was behind that stupid photo all the time?” Chloe asked, looking at Max with a raised eyebrow. “I’m Blackwell’s sneaky ninja! How did you know?”

“Chlo, believe me. If you’re around, I’ll notice. And besides, I could hear you trying not to laugh.”

Chloe laughed a little.

“Touché. You should’ve seen his face.”

Max rolled her eyes and got off the truck slowly. Chloe could see her brushing her knuckles over her shirt, where Chloe knew there was the scar that saved her life.

_“A month and a half and I’m still tripping on that…”_ She thought, getting out of the truck and leading the way to the house.

“Chlo, are you alright?” Asked Max, noticing the sudden change of humor.

Chloe sighed and wrapped Max in another hug, this time, she make sure to not squeeze her so tight.

“Yeah, I’m… you know. I’m still trying to convince myself that you’re… actually here now, and I’m not just dreaming all of this. That you’re alive, after shit went down in that bathroom.”

Chloe felt Max hands caressing her back and she tried not to succumb to the urge to inhale her scent like a creep.

“I am. We both are…” Max hugged her back, drowning her face in the crook of Chloe’s neck. “Being here, after all we… I went through… It seems surreal. And… taking that shot was… easy in comparison to the alternative.”

They stayed hugged for a while, as they were trying to make sure the other was really there in this moment. It was an almost common ritual, often practiced after nightmares, who both of them usually had. A whole day without seeing each other certainly didn’t help to improve their stability.

“Well, enough with the mushy show” Said Chloe, trying to cheer up the situation. “C’mon, it’s cold out here. And I want my pizza, I’m hungry like the wolf.”

As if it was to back her up, Chloe’s stomach rumbled audibly. Max chuckled and took her hand intertwining their fingers and lead the way to the house.

Chloe followed with a grin on her face while the butterflies in her guts began to fly wildly.


	4. Issues

 

The first snow in December came a little earlier than expected. The thin white snowdrops started to fall in the night of the 20th. It wasn’t copiously that much to paint the bay white, but just enough to have an excuse to stay inside and sit by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate, eating marshmallows until feeling sick.

The Price’s house was quiet, the only exception being the warm and sweet melody of an acoustic guitar being played a little clumsily and the crack of the fire, illuminating the room.

Chloe was sitting on the couch, her eyes staring into nothingness, while her fingers traveled softly over the strings, trying to figure out the melody Max taught her a couple of days ago. It was Max’s guitar, the only thing that didn’t return to the dorm room with her when classes started again. And now, being so close to holidays, it was like they were back at that moment. Even if it wasn’t exactly long ago, their lives were so different since that Monday in October that Chloe couldn’t help but feel like it had been an eternity ago, and not just a couple of months. Shootings in bathrooms, trials and an old friend saving your life after five years of radio silence could make time seem strange.

_“Time. Right.”_ Thought Chloe. Max’s journal pages came through her mind for a moment. She even remembered some of the lines by heart. _“You’re a little obsessed with that book.”_

Max came from the kitchen and sat down besides Chloe, with a wide smile and two big bags of marshmallows. She raised the bags and blinked rapidly with a dreamy expression, her long eyelid casting shadows over her pale skin. Chloe snorted and stopped playing, leaving the guitar at the side of the couch with a soft “thump!”

“I… kinda monopolized this thing since you brought it with you.” She said, grabbing one of the bags and pointing to the guitar with her free hand. “Sorry. You know you can take it with you when you want, right?”

“I know but I like watching you play.” Max replied, just before standing up and approaching the fire to burn the little sweet she had in her hands. “You are a really fast learner and you got talent.”

“Flatterer” Chloe accused, with a soft smile on her face.

They spent a few moments in silence, eating marshmallows and enjoying the empty house around them. David was working his shift at Blackwell and Joyce was doing the same at the Two Whales. Chloe felt a little sleepy, having worked double shift for the past month and expected the Christmas holidays with enthusiasm. For some reason, she always had a soft spot for Christmas. She remembered being wrapped in an awful thick red and green sweater, running around the house with a santa claus hat and trying to guess the presents before opening them. She always got it right and laughed when Max dreamy and wild guesses ended up in a little frown of disappointment.

“So… Christmas is just a couple of days away…” Max started, her eyes fixed on the carpet at her feet. “And… I’ve been thinking a lot lately.”

“What about?” Asked Chloe.

“After all that happened… I kinda send my parents away when I was recovered. Maybe I should spend Christmas with them in Seattle.”

Chloe froze and fixed her blue eyes on Max’s face. The brunette had still her eyes on the floor and was playing with her thumbs over her lap, as if she needed to do something with her hands. Chloe’s gut twisted horribly, thinking about spending Christmas only with her Mom and David. Again.

On the other hand, Max had a point. Even if she felt hurt, Chloe knew she was being selfish for wanting to have Max all for herself. That didn’t mean she could deal with Max being away from Arcadia Bay. The fear and the anger started to flow through her and she tried to control it, but old habits die hard and she couldn’t suppress the edge in her voice.

“If you need to…” She said, still looking away.

_“Control yourself, damn it!”_ She thought, angry with herself for being incapable of handling the awful feeling of abandonment again.

“We could go the day before and spend a couple of nights there, no biggie.” Max said, shrugging a little. “ Just to have the chance to spent with them at least Christmas. We could be back here to spend New Year’s eve with Joyce.”

Max’s words snapped Chloe out of her depressing line of thought.

“We?” She asked, frowning in confusion.

Max stared at her for the first time since she started talking and raised her eyebrows when she realized what was going through Chloe’s mind.

“You thought I’d go alone and leave you here?” Said Max, her face serious. It didn’t even sound like a question. “No way. If I’m going to Seattle you’re coming with me. That’s why I brought it up. I wanted to know if you’re okay with it.”

Chloe blushed and looked away, embarrassed.

“It’s… okay. Sure, why not?” She mumbled, scratching the back of her head awkwardly.

“You really thought I was going by myself, didn’t you?” Max said, frowning. “Really, Chloe?”

“Dude, I don’t know.” Chloe growled in frustration and gathered enough courage to look Max in the eye. She was trying to find the right words to say, struggling with all the thoughts running wildly in her mind.

“I… I have issues.” She said with a sharp edge. “Sorry, I know it’s stupid but… It’s not like you hadn’t left before…”

The blue haired girl shook her head in frustration when she realized how bad that sounded and she felt like her face was exploding with heat when the blush finally took over.

“I mean, you apologized and it’s okay. Damn, you even saved my ass... I know it’s stupid to bring it up again after months. You know what? Forget it. Let’s just… pretend I didn’t say anything.”

Max nodded and rested one hand over Chloe’s knee.

“I’ll make sure you work this out, Chloe.” Max said, her eyes fixed on her girlfriend’s face with determination. She couldn’t keep avoiding the brunette’s gaze.

“I get what you feel, I really do. And if I have to remind you I’m not going anywhere without you every single time, I will do it. Eventually you’ll not need it anymore.”

“I guess…” Replied Chloe, embarrassed. “I’m… sorry. For being a pain in the ass.”

“You’re not.”

Max smiled and leaned in for a kiss. Like every single time, Chloe didn’t feel like there were fireworks exploding or butterflies flying in her guts. It was something way more powerful, stronger, like a need. She returned the kiss, deepening it, making it more urgent, more pushing and Max keep up her pace, her fingers tangled between the blue locks of Chloe’s short hair.

Chloe could almost feel the electricity in the air, the heat in her girth expanding rapidly through her, like the blood in her veins was boiling. She tried not to think in the deep red blush surely covering her cheeks. 

And as always, Chloe made sure to keep her own urges under control. It was hard, but she knew she had to do it in order to keep things right.

Even if Max didn't say anything, Chloe could notice the fear and nervousness in the brunette. Not the usual kind, the kind she felt too when they were alone and close.

It was something deeper, stronger... and not good. Chloe knew it had to do with something that happened during that week she didn't experience; she knew the signals very well by now. The moment she felt Max’s hand shaking against her ear or the soft tremble of her lips against hers, or even a movement that seemed off, a noise, something that even if it was subtle, for Chloe was an order she learned the hard way to obey.

This time, it was Max’s hand over her knee, it's fingers pressing it a little harder than usual, not with desire of closeness, but all the contrary. And that signal was more than enough to Chloe to break the kiss and rest her forehead against Max’s, breathing deeply with her eyes closed, giving her space.

When she opened them again, she found Max staring with the spark of an unanswered question in her dark blue eyes. A spark Chloe knew too well now. And like every time, Max avoided the elephant in the room.

“So… “ Max said, with a sigh. Her voice was shaking a little. “Seattle?”

Chloe smiled, wishing for the thousandth time to be able to read Max’s mind like an open book. She couldn’t of course, but she also knew that pushing the issue wasn’t going to do any good. Maybe sometime she could figure it out. But for now, just being with Max on the old couch, so close that she could feel the brunette breath on her face, was enough.

“Yeah." Chloe answered with a little smile.  "Hella Seattle.”


	5. You already did

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! It's been a while, but I'm back!  
> To everyone that was wondering why I disappeared (if anyone wondered about it) i suggest you to go here: www . lifeisstrangefans . com and you will understand why I was totally missing in action for a while. Its an amazing community for LIS fans, growing more and more every day.
> 
> Hope to see some of you around the site! You can find me as Chloe Price, of course haha.
> 
> As always, if you spot any mistakes or grammar issues, please please please point them out so I can fix it.  
> Thank you for reading!

Everything was settled. Their luggage was already placed in the bed of the truck, covered to protect it from the cold and wet weather that invaded Arcadia Bay the past week.

Chloe was already in the cab, playing with her fingers over the steering wheel, enjoying the warm of the leather seat and the familiar purr of the engine in movement. With a sigh, she opened the glove compartment and searched through the junk stored there for the map they had bought not long ago. She found the paper, closed the box and opened it over the steering wheel to check the route for the thousandth time in the last couple of days.

Due to Chloe’s persistence, they had decided to not go straight to Seattle. Since this would be their first time traveling together outside the bay, Chloe wanted it to be different and more exciting than a simple straight trip of five hours to the city. Max wasn’t convinced, because of the weather, but she couldn’t help to nod in agreement when the blue haired girl used a recently discovered weapon of her own: sad puppy eyes and a pout that seemed to have an undeniable power over Max.

A blue-nailed finger traced the line over the map again. She had done it so many times that the paper was already a little worn out on the edges. They had planned to take the 101 up north to reach Canon Beach. Even if it was freezing as hell, at least it would be a nice view, and more important, a good place to take some pictures. Of course, Chloe didn’t mention that important detail to Max. The old polaroid had barely left her bag since October and the fact that Max wasn’t taking pictures at all started to bother Chloe more than she wanted to admit. Her journal had the same fate. Max even left it at Chloe’s house, forgotten for almost two months now, and not a single page was written since then.

Max was always into photography, since they were just little kids. She always wanted to improve, to see the world through a lens, capture moments and keep them frozen in time. She and William shared the same passion, even if Chloe’s dad just considered it a hobby. But now? The old polaroid seemed to be forgotten all of a sudden, and Chloe, even if she didn’t know exactly why, she guessed the reason behind it. It was like a part of Max herself was taken away and she wanted to recover it and never let it go.

The sound of the passenger door opening snapped her out of her thoughts and she smiled at the sight of Max jumping into the truck, her nose red and her eyebrows furrowed. Max hated the cold, even though she enjoyed playing in the snow.

“Freezing hippie?” Chloe asked with a grin.

Max looked at her, her eyes went all along her body, starting with the beanie over her head, to the simple black jacket covering a long sleeve t-shirt, slightly visible over the ripped jeans and the combat boots.

“Are you made of ice or something?” The brunette said in exasperation. “How is it possible that you’re never cold?”

“It’s part of my charm,” Chloe replied  narrowing her eyes. “I can’t be cold, who else would warm you up then?”

Max shook her head. Her face was red from the cold outside, but Chloe knew perfectly well the distinction between that and the blush now covering the brunette’s cheeks.

“Sorry, it was too easy.” She apologized., “Ready to go then?”

The brunette nodded with a little smile and Chloe pulled away from the Price’s house and drove all the way to the town exit. 

 

In less than fifteen minutes, Chloe stopped the truck right in the limit of the town, but she didn’t kill the engine. The wooden sign near the road prayed “You’re now leaving Arcadia Bay. Come back soon”. It was old and worn out, maybe a little like the town itself after all those years under the Prescott’s rule.

It was so… odd, to leave. Chloe knew it was just for a couple of days, no biggie. She’d be back before she could say “beer!” But for some reason, the feeling of leaving made her stomach flip. She was finally leaving, for real this time, not to come back half way to her destination, defeated and emotionally destroyed like last time she tried to get to Seattle.

The sad memories must have come all the way to the surface and painted her expression, because Max reached out and grabbed her shoulder with a hand, looking at her with concern in her eyes.

“What is it?” She asked, trying to catch Chloe’s eye.

“I don’t know.” The punk answered, shrugging a little. “It feels weird to finally leave and… have a plan, maybe?”

Max waited, sure that there was more to it.

“The last time I was here… The last time I passed by this sign, I was on my way to Seattle too.” She confessed, with her eyes still fixed on the road ahead. She could feel the blush creeping over her neck and reaching her face in no time. “I was fifteen. I left with only a backpack, a bunch of clothes and exactly fifty-three dollars in my pockets.”

“You never told me you tried to leave… what…?”

“You know what I was doing.” Said Chloe, a little harsher than it was intended. “Sorry I… I was on my way to find you, you know? That&#39;s what I told myself. I had to at least try.”

Silence fell over them like a cold blanket. All of a sudden, the temperature in the cab descended drastically and the chill spread really fast.

“Did you actually reach Seattle?” Max asked, now having trouble looking Chloe in the face. “I mean… “

“Of course not.” Said Chloe, shaking her head with a cold smile on her face. “I never got past Portland. I did try several times though. Sometimes I had to head back because there was no way I could go all the way on foot and ran out of money. One time the police found me, mom had called and reported me as missing.”

Chloe could see Max bit her lip awkwardly. She could feel her hand over the right shoulder burn like fire through the black jacket she was wearing.

“You have no idea how bad I still feel for not keep in touch” Max said finally, closing her eyes. “That’s one of the many things I’ll never be able to… forgive myself.”

“It's okay.” Chloe said, forcing a smile. “We have passed that, it’s just… the sign just brings back all those memories.”

They stayed there in silence for a while, lost in their respective thoughts. After a couple of minutes, Chloe could see through the corner of her eye how Max scooted closer to her and then she removed her hand from Chloe’s arm, just to place her head over it. Chloe leaned over and held Max in her arms for a while, breathing softly the scent of her hair, letting out a contempt sigh. If she could go back in time and tell her fifteen-year- old self that she would be at that very same spot again in this situation…

“I’m sorry.” Max said, raising her head and staring at Chloe directly in the eyes. “I don’t know if I will ever be able to make it up for you, but I’ll try.”

Were Max’s eyes so… bright before? Were they so blue? Were they so deep? Those questions floated in Chloe’s mind often. Every time they looked at each other, it was like her mind collapsed in a way and just was capable of came up with that kind of questions. Were her freckles always so adorable? Were her lips always so pink?

“You already did.” Chloe said, and kissed her.

Softly at first, like always. Always in control, always with part of her brain focused in case she noticed that signals she learned to find. Even if part of her was wildly begging her mind to let herself go loose, she was always alert. The kiss went deeper, her right hand grabbed Max’s neck softly, making her tilt her head a little to have more space to maneuver. And it happened.

Chloe knew what triggered it, of course. The second her fingers touched that spot on Max’s neck, the brunette’s right hand closed in a fist all of the sudden and Chloe froze in a second, with their lips still connected. She pulled away a little, half of her cursing for it while the other half was concerned as always. The punk rested her forehead against Max’s and sighed, trying to let go of the concern piled up inside of her.

_“Play this cool, you know you have to play this cool”_ She kicked herself mentally _. “C’mon, this can’t be so hard.”_

Then, an idea sparked in her mind and she grinned to herself like a dork.

“Max…” She whispered, her lips almost touching Max’s. She could see the brunette swallow hard.

“Chloe…”

“C’mon, just let me…” She said, her voice a low and raspy whisper. She could feel Max’s chill shake her hands.

The blue haired girl looked to the sign again, just behind Max and she noticed. Chloe grinned wildly when she saw the spark of realization in the smaller girl’s eyes.

“Just a little, Max…”

“No.” Max said, smiling herself too now that she knew what was going on. She seemed to relax almost immediately, though her right hand was still a shaky fist.

Chloe wondered how she did it. She always seemed to know what she would think or do beforehand. If her powers weren’t so deadly, she could be sure that Max used them on her.

“Don’t be like that…” Chloe’s whisper intensified, a soft trail of lust lingering on the edges. Oh, well, it couldn’t be helped. “It will be fun…”

Chloe’s eyes wandered over the brunettes face and then again to the wooden sign, like she couldn’t avoid looking at it.

“I’m not letting you burn the sign, Chloe.”

The blue haired girl extinguished a chuckle and pulled away, with her fake pissed off expression. She sighed, released the brakes and started to drive slowly.

“You, Caulfield, are no fun.”

Max soft laugh filled the air and Chloe joined her, incapable of holding back anymore.


	6. The things you want to keep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Roy, Nate (http://archiveofourown.org/users/Nitemarefeast) and Dumbz (chaosontour.deviantart.com) for being my faithful beta readers. And special thanks to PureSet (https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2346351/Pure-Set) for her help. 
> 
> To all the people who enjoy this story, come find us in www.lifeisstrangefans.com

The snow had fallen during the night, covering the beach with a white and cold blanket. The once clear sky was now cloudy, a white veil stretching across the bright blue expanse and the sea, going and coming over the frozen sand, whipping the snowflakes away from the shoreline.

Max was fast asleep in the passenger seat. Even if the journey to Cannon Beach hadn’t been long, the brunette had been up and running since early in the morning, making sure they had had everything settled for their departure. “Too anxious to sleep” she had said, but Chloe knew there was more to it, like always.

Since she came back from her coma, Max hadn’t slept well. There hadn’t been a single night in which she could’ve just closed her eyes and drifted off safely to the land of dreams. Every single night during her stay at the Price’s house, she woke up suddenly, screaming, shivering and sweating bullets. After she returned to Blackwell, every now and then and only because Chloe demanded it after seeing the dark shadows under the brunette’s eyes, Max called her every time she had a nightmare. But she never talked about those. She only called to hear Chloe’s voice, as she said, and that was it. No explanation at all.

Chloe parked the truck, killing that depressing line of thought and turned off the engine. The landscape was outstanding, even if the white sky and the cold sent shivers through her spine. She turned and looked at Max asleep for a moment, taking in the combined beauty of her factions. The way the brown locks of hair framed her face, the freckles all over it, and the soft wrinkle between her eyebrows…

And the crystal drops of sweat sliding down her cheekbones and forehead. Her eyebrows furrowed and her teeth clenched. At the same time her hands, resting over her lap, turned into tight fists.

“No… go away…”

“Max?”

Chloe reached out, grabbing the younger girl by the shoulders. The brunette recoiled at the contact and shook her head.

“No, don’t touch me… Don’t do this…”

“Max?! Max wake up, you’re dreaming!”

“Get away from me!”

Still asleep, Max managed to rise her arms and push Chloe away with a strength she didn’t know the brunette had.

Max’s eyes flashed open, terrified, looking around until they locked onto Chloe’s… and her incredulous expression. The punk was staring at her, her mouth slightly open in shock and her blue eyes with a bright of hurt on them.

“Max what the hell was that? Are you okay?” She asked almost desperately, but unsure if she should close the distance again or not.

Max looked away from her, eyes half lidded.

“I’m sorry. It’s nothing Chlo, don't worry about it"

Chloe couldn’t avoid a snort. She tried to catch Max’s sight in vain.

"Bullshit, that wasn't anything; you were freaking out in your sleep. Again”

Max looked around at their landscape.

"Where are we?” She asked evasively.

"Cannon Beach, remember? But that's not important; don’t change the subject Max. Answer me", she replies firmly.

"I already did. It’s nothing", she retorted before taking off her seat belt and grabbing her bag. She opened up her door and climbed out.

Chloe growled a bit in tired frustration and followed suit. She climbed out and slammed her door roughly and wasted no time weaving around the truck to catch up to Max and grab her wrist; forcing the other girl into a stop.

Max looks over at her stubbornly and a bit defiant.

"Chloe, let go of me" she said with her voice firm.

Chloe matched her stubborn expression with her own.

"No I won't Max. Not until you talk to me. Something is up with you lately, and don't think for one fucking second I haven't noticed it!" She stated, angrier than she intended.

“Chloe just leave it alone. Please", she replied trying to pry Chloe's hand off her wrist.

"I can't do that Max. You know I can’t. Not if this keeps happening.” She said trying to calm herself down. She chose to release Max from her grip.

Max looked away silently, absentmindedly holding her now free wrist.

Chloe saw the subtle change in Max's demeanor, and pressed in. She looped around to where Max faced and stopped in front of her.

"Max, please, talk to me. You're starting to freak me out. I know I'm not good at this… emotional shit, but...” She tried to explain in vain.

Then she sighed, taking a steadying breath; in an attempt to calm herself down a bit more.

"But I want to be there for you Max. The way you've been there for me. I care about you, dork... So just... give me a chance here...” she finished in a softer tone.

Max got the slightest of smiles. A light chuckle escaped through her lips.

"Dork? You were doing so well too", she replied quietly with a soft trail of amusement.

Chloe picked up on it, and smiled back.

"If it’s any consolation, you're my dork", she replied a little playfully.

Max managed a better laugh.

"Gee thanks Chloe, you always know how to make me feel so warm and fuzzy", she smirked slightly.

Chloe laughed.

"What can I say; I have a way with words...” She teased.

Max shook her head, but amusement was still present in a small grin.

"So... Can we talk about this? ... Please Max. And you know I hate resorting to manners", she replied as gently as she could.

Max sighed lightly. Tension leeched from her. She finally rose her head and looked the punk before her, in the eyes for the first time in a while, without that look that Chloe hated so much; That distant and “out of it” look, like she was traveling back in time again and leaving her alone once more.

Max sighed again. She grabbed Chloe’s hand to her surprise and walked towards the beach in silence for a while. She stopped near the shore and both girls stood there for a couple of minutes in silence, enjoying the view despite the awful cold air around them. At some point, Max clutched, hugging her knees against her chest and started to draw on the cold sand with her finger.

“You okay?” Chloe asked. She hoped to come up with a clever line, a pun, a joke… anything really. But at the end, she was honest and direct. She was worried and there was no way to hide it.

Max sighed and kept drawing spirals on the sand.

“I’m not so sure.” She replied, avoiding Chloe’s gaze. “I mean… There is a bunch of stuff still running in my head… and part of me still can’t accept some things.”

“Max, I told you. We will figure this out together.”

“I know you’re trying, Chlo.” Max said. “I can tell.”

“So? What’s holding you back so much?”

Chloe knelt beside her, ignoring the slight humidity coming through the knees of her pants. She examined the drawings on the sand for a moment, trying to make some sense of them.

“I keep trying to forget the awful things that happened to me. To us… But I’m also afraid to forget the good stuff.” Max said, looking away from the sand and into the ocean, just meters away from them. “You don’t remember anything because it didn’t happened to you in this timeline so… I’m the only one who remembers everything, even if I suppose I’ll eventually forget.”

“Max… I… I really wish I could remember, you know?” Chloe said with a sigh. “I mean… I still carry this thing around like somehow I could… I don’t know, remember by just staring at it.”

Chloe searched for a moment in the pocket of her jacket and pulled out the photograph. Both of them with sleepy faces, lit by the early morning sun.

“But at the same time… I know we will have more moments like this” She continued, showing Max the worn out picture. “We already have them. We just need you to raise your camera again to… capture them.”

Max let escape a soft laugh, hollow and a bit cold.

“I don’t know if I wanna do that anymore, Chlo.”

“What do you mean?”

“I saw firsthand how photography can be used to… capture moments. And… after all that shit I’m not sure if I want to keep capturing moments, you know?”

“This is about Jefferson, isn’t it?” She started at Max. “Look… what he did? What he did is awful. I know that better than anyone. What he did to Rachel? To Kate? To you at some point? It's sickening. And i fucking hate that bastard with all my strength. But photography isn’t the enemy. He is. Or was, because now he’ll be rotting in jail for the rest of his fucked up life thanks to you.”

Max considered that for a moment, her eyes still lost on the waves. She shivered a little.

“I’ve seen you running around with that camera since we were kids, Max. You always wanted to be a photographer. Don’t let that sick bastard destroy what you are. I just got you back… And I really want the full set.”

A soft smile curled up Max’s lips and she closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. After a moment of silence, she looked at Chloe with her dark blue eyes, bright with emotion. There was no sign of that ‘out of it’ look that Chloe had seen in her for weeks. Maybe it had worked.

“Thanks, Chloe.” She said. “I’ll… I will think about it. Maybe I just need to… find what I want to keep.”

 _“Well… one step at a time. We will get there.”_ Chloe thought, getting up from the sand and offering Max a hand.

“You will. C’mon, I know you’re freezing your ass off here.” She said with a grin. “Besides, we need to reach your folks before night time.”

Max took Chloe’s hand with a little smile and both went back to the truck, leaving behind the spirals drawn on the sand, to be washed out by the sea.

 

The rest of the ride to Seattle was good. They spent most of the time singing along to some of the songs on the radio or talking about nonsense in general, like the good old days.

There were moments of comfortable silence and when Chloe looked at Max to make sure everything was still okay, the brunette flashed a soft smile that made her heart skip a beat from time to time.

They reached the outskirts of Seattle by sunset. The purple sky was getting darker and darker by the minute, winning its battle against the soft rays of orange light the sun casted from the horizon as it retreated slowly behind it. The lights of the city lit the valley, perfectly visible from the road up the soft hill surrounding the town.

Chloe stopped the truck with a smile and looked at the city in awe through the window. A weird mix of feelings made her belly twist.

_“I can’t believe I’m actually here right now… damn…”_

Ignoring the cold, she killed the ignition and jumped off the truck, followed by Max. The punk jumped over the rail separating the road from the hill and sat there, with her eyes fixed in the bright lights of the city below them, absorbing every single detail of it as much as she could. She was finally outside Arcadia Bay for real, in the city she wanted to reach for years… and now she noticed she didn’t have a reason to be there right now. She wanted to reach Seattle because of Max. She stopped considering Arcadia Bay her home the very moment Max step foot out of it. She thought she could find the same at Seattle. But it was Max all along, her home was a person. And Max now was sitting beside her, with her dark blue eyes fixed on her face, with such intensity that Chloe could almost feel her gaze.

“Chlo?”

“Mmmh?”

Max didn’t answer and Chloe looked at her inquisitively… to be greeted by the flash of the instant camera the brunette had between her hands. She lowered her camera and smiled at Chloe again, a genuine and bright smile that reached her eyes.

“I may have found what I want to keep.” Max said, putting the camera and the picture away with a smile.

The grin spreading on Chloe’s face was wide enough to make her cheeks hurt. She scooted closer and hugged Max with her right arm, as the brunette rested her head on the crook of her neck.

“I have found it too.”

They enjoyed the sight of the city for a while, in warm silence as the snowflakes started to fall.


End file.
